Home is Best event

A showcase of services which support people home from hospital is to be held at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The “Home is Best” initiative wants to reassure people that they recover better in their own surroundings or in a community setting once they medically well.

There are a range of NHS services available at home for those who need them in order to stay independent or to regain abilities such as walking unaided. These services include physiotherapy, district nursing, occupational therapy and dietetics.

Cathy Daffada, Sirona care & health’s Discharge Lead in South Gloucestershire is leading the event on behalf of a partnership of Bristol Community Health, North Bristol NHS Trust, North Somerset Community Partnership, Sirona plus the commissioners of services and local authorities across all three areas.

She said: “The event is being held because we recognise that the best way to support people following a stay in hospital has significantly changed in recent years. There are now a range of NHS services available at home for those who need them in order to stay independent or to regain abilities such as walking unaided. These services include physiotherapy, district nursing, occupational therapy and dietetics.

“We want people to be confident about the services we offer and to know that they can be safely supported at home; staying in hospital longer than you absolutely need to means you lose mobility and function. There is now clear research that shows that the best place for your rehabilitation and recovery is, if possible, in your familiar surroundings.

“This is an important message for everyone and it is challenging some myths that exist around early, safe discharge; some people are not always aware of the high-quality services which are in the communities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset and we want to showcase to people the fantastic new services we have put in place to support people home from hospital as soon as they are medically well enough to do so. These include on-going assessments and services to help people to recover in their own homes or other community setting such as care homes.

“We also want people to learn about what is available if you are not yet able to go home but don’t need the high-level medical care available in hospital as we have what we call step-down beds in the community for those needing intensive rehabilitation or require support with other complex long term needs.

The event is being held in the Atrium in the Brunel Building on October 5 from 10.30am to 2pm and everyone is welcome.